Gifted
by amethyst sleeper93
Summary: In a world where gifted humans like them are despised and captured for experiments, Bella and Edward must fight for their survival after escaping from the Lab that has used them for years. AU. All characters are AH but obviously OOC.
1. Prologue

We are an abomination. A mistake to many. We should have been killed a long time ago for we are a threat to the humankind. Yet we are still here, fighting for our rights. We are the gifted. We are group of humans who are given a unique gift at birth. What gifts you may ask? Gifts that is more than extraordinary. They make us more powerful than normal humans. It is these gifs, however, that led to our demise. We were hunted and studied like laboratory rats. Evil ones wanted to know the source of our powers and imitate them for their own wicked purposes. We fought back but unfortunately, some had been killed while others remained trapped. It is with this purpose that I, Carlisle Cullen, decided to lead the underground revolution. My gifted wife, adopted children and I fight back against this evil using our gifts. But the fight is far from over because as the revolution goes on, secrets are being revealed. Secrets that can both save or kill humankind as we know it.


	2. Rude Awakenings and Shocking Discoveries

**Merry Christmas!**

**Okay, I lied. In my first posting of this story, I said that I would continue this story after I finished my first story, _Of Gifts and Curses_**, **or that I would not continue this. Then I saw how you readers liked this story so I decided to continue. Here is an edited version of the first chapter. Hope you like it.**

**Story takes place in AU while all characters are AH but slightly OOC.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Twilight Saga. I just use the characters for FanFiction.**

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(Bella's POV)

As I slowly gained consciousness, I slowly realized that I am not in my cell. The soft bed that I am lying on is enough proof of that as it is more comfortable than the usual cell floor that Edward and I lie on. I opened my eyes and saw that I was right. I am in a bedroom and I am lying on a bed in the middle of it. A large window is at my right and on my left is a door. There is another door at opposite the bed. I sat up, wincing in pain from my injuries. I notice that my cuts and wounds are bandaged. I suddenly become afraid, what if this is a trick and I am still in the Lab?

The door on my left suddenly opened and a girl with spiky haircut entered. She looks shorter than me. She reminds of the fictional creature my mother used to tell me about. Pixies, I think. She was shocked upon seeing me awake.

"Oh, you're awake," She said in surprise. I then heard her murmur: "I didn't see that coming." She soon left the room and reappeared with a man with light hair and the kindest blue eyes I have ever seen. He sits down on the chair beside the bed and faces me. The girl also returned, carrying some medical equipment.

"Good morning, Isabella. How are you today?" The man asked as he took my vitals with the medical equipment the girl carried. The girl is now standing behind the man watching us.

"Wh-whe-" I try to ask as the man checked my bandages but I couldn't in fear that I am still in the Lab and that this man is one of the scientists who punishes us once we speak .

"Where are you? You are at my home, far, far away from the Lab. You can speak here. No one will punish you once you speak," The man said, assuring me.

What? I'm not in the Lab anymore? No, I can't stay here I have to go back. Edward needs me. Who knows what they will do to him if I am not there. I have to go back. I have to.

"I-I have…I have to go back to the Lab. My friend, I have to-" I said, my voice panicking. I am worried now. What will they do to him now that I'm gone? The experiments they did with both of us were terrible but what will they do to him? I am afraid for him. I have to go back and help him.

"Shh..shh…It's okay. It's okay Isabella. You are safe now," The man said in attempt to calm down. He attempted to put his hand on my shoulder but I recoiled in fear of getting hurt. The memories painfully came back. . The tests. The punishments. Days of hunger. Days of pain.

"No, no," I said resisting his attempts at calming down. I am crying now. I pulled my knees to my chest and hugged them. Without me, Edward is the only subject left. He will be the only receiver of their painful experiments. Edward is the most fragile I have ever met. Now that he is alone in the Lab, the evil scientists will finally break him, leaving behind a shell of my former friend.

"I'm sorry, Edward," I whispered through tears. I really am. How can I leave behind my only friend? A needle prick distracts me. I knew it was the man injecting me with a tranquilizer. I want to resist, to fight and to go back to the Lab and help Edward. I am, however, powerless against the tranquilizer and soon I fall in a dreamless sleep.

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(Carlisle's POV)

I watch Isabella sleep. I am against the idea of putting her to sleep via tranquilizer but I had to. What just happened was putting too much stress on her body. Stress that if continued could put too much damage on her heart. I can see how much damage her stay at Lab has done to her body. She is thinner than most children her age. She also has countless cuts and bruises on her skin that are probably results of countless experiments done on her.

"What happened, Carlisle?" Alice asked in a worried voice from behind me. Like me, she is also shocked about what happened.

"I don't know. She seemed…" I am at a loss for words. Isabella's reaction surprised me. Most of the gifted that we rescued are relieved at the idea from being finally free from the Lab. Isabella wanted to go back after all that happened at the Lab. For what?

"She wants to go back to help a friend," Alice said as if reading my mind. She was about to say something when she suddenly fell silent. I look at her in surprise and saw that she had faraway look in her eyes and was staring ahead at nothing. She is having a vision.

"She'll be more anxious when she wakes up," Alice said, once her vision finished. "She wants to go back to the Lab. She knows her friend needs her,"

"Can you stay here and wait for Isabella to wake up? I need more information about her. I have a feeling that our lack of information about her may have caused the near-failure of our raid," I asked Alice. I stood up and was near the door when Alice's words stopped me.

""Carlisle, wait. Also, search for her friend. It might help her if she knew that we will help her friend," Alice requested. "His name is Edward Anthony Masen. She will tell it to us upon waking up."

I nodded and took note of the name. It just reminded me that we have to go back to the Lab and rescue one of our kind. I soon reach my office at the end of the hall and turned on the computer. I hacked in to the Lab's database. We have done it plenty of times and using the data obtained, we raid the Lab and rescue the gifted that they use for experiments. We help the gifted get over their experiences and soon return them to their families with new identities to avoid recapture. However, there are cases when the gifted has no families left. In this case, they stay with us and help us fight against the Lab.

This had been the case with my adoptive children. Emmet, with the gift of extraordinary strength, stayed after hearing how the Lab operatives killed his parents. The same also happened with Rosalie, who has the gift of persuasion, and Jasper, who has the gift of empathy. An exemption is Alice. Alice, with the gift of seeing the future, stayed for a different reason. She had seen how her parents disowned her after learning her gift so she decided to stay without meeting them again.

Looking at Isabella's background from the database, I learn that she has the power of blocking other gifted's gift from being used. I also learned that she can block the gift from being used towards her or toward a person of her choice. So that explains why the raid nearly failed. My adoptive children tried to use their gifts during the raid but were shocked that they wouldn't work. Luckily, they had brought weapons with them and used them to escape and set Isabella free.

Data also showed that her parents had been killed by Lab operatives for not cooperating with them. She was captured when she only eight. Her age now based from the information is sixteen which means she just spent half of her life at the Lab. Database also showed the experiments she had participated in. Reading it showed that in most experiments she participated in, her friend is also apart of it. The records show a disturbing description of the experiments and their painful results.

I was shocked at how terrible they had treated her and her friend. I couldn't believe how evil those scientists have become. The horrible things they will do for the sake of science sickened. It's hard to believe that I used to be one of them. I had to quit after becoming one of my test subjects, being gifted with instant healing. My gift made me realize about the wrong I have done and me fight against the people I used to work with.

Reading the records made me decide to attempt another raid. This time for Isabella's friend, Edward. Last time's raid, the one with Isabella, was very sudden. It wasn't thoroughly planned. Acting from an insider's tip, we raided the Lab. . The lack of information nearly put us in jeopardy. Fortunately, we managed to escape undetected. This time, however, everything will be planned to avoid what happened from happening again.

The first step involved information. It started with information about the gifted to be rescued. Every piece of information about Edward now is vital to his rescue. I search about him in the database and am surprised at the large amount of information about him. It seem as though he has spent a long time at the Lab.

I am right. Edward was captured at a younger age. He was captured at the age of five. He is seventeen which means that he has spent most of his life in the Lab. He had the gift of telepathy and telekinesis. Not only that but also the gift of a very photographic memory. One that remembers not only common information but the tiniest of details. He is a very gifted person. I look at the information about his family.

No, it can't be. It can't be. It's not even possible. The screen showed:

_Mother's Name: Elizabeth Cullen Masen_

_Father's Name: Edward Anthony Masen, Sr._

No, it's not true. It must be an illusion. But the screen did not change; it remained the same. I continue to read and saw that it really is true. Edward is my estranged younger sister's son. My nephew and the only remaining blood-related family member I have left.

Suddenly, the raid to rescue Isabella's friend seemed more important that I thought it would be.

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**So did you like it? I would really, really appreciate reviews. **

**-Nix  
**


	3. Of Nightmares and Past Lives

**Truth be told, I couldn't stop writing this. As soon I finished the previous chapter, I already had an idea for what is about to happen with the next one. So I decided to continue in case I forget it and here's the result.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

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(Bella's POV)

_I am back in the Lab and I can see Edward, sleeping and locked in his cell. Laurent, the guard, suddenly enters and pours a bucket of cold water over him. Edward wakes up and panics upon seeing Laurent. _

"_Get up!" Laurent screams at Edward. Edward shakily gets up. He is shivering; I can hear his teeth chattering from the cold. Edward is afraid. Laurent roughly pulls him by the arm and leads him out of the cell. He drags Edward to the Testing Room where Victoria and James were already waiting._

_Laurent pushes Edward in to a chair in the middle of the room and straps Edward's arms and legs to it. He then wraps an anklet around Edward's ankle. Once he is done, he leaves the room. Leaving Edward alone with Victoria and James._

"_So Edward, I guess by now you know what happened to your friend, Isabella. The question is: where is she? I know you are connected to her telepathically; so where is Isabella and who has taken her?" Victoria asked Edward in a mock innocent tone. Edward didn't look at either James or Victoria._

"_I…I don't kno-know…" Edward answered, his teeth still chattering from the cold. Victoria, however, looked at him angrily. _

"_Wrong answer, Edward. James," Victoria said in an evil tone. She looked at James who was holding a remote control. He pointed it at Edward and pressed a button. Suddenly an electric charge came from the anklet, shocking Edward. He clenched his fists as they shocked him, screaming in pain. Soon the electric shock stopped and Victoria spoke again._

"_We can do this all night, all day Edward. Knowing your gift, this won't leave a scar but it will cause you terrible pain. So, where is she?" She asked again in the same mock innocent tone._

"_I… don't… know..." Edward said, gasping for breath. The shock has left out of breath._

"_Wrong answer!" Victoria shouted, angrily and James pressed the button again. It caused another painful to Edward. I couldn't stand watching the torture. I screamed._

I woke up screaming. The girl, who was with me when I woke up, is instantly by my side. She is trying to calmme down.

"Shh…It's okay. You're safe here. You're safe here," She kept saying in an effort to calm me down but I couldn't be calmed down. How can I be calm if I know that somewhere out there the person closest to me is getting hurt because of me?

"You have to send me back. Please," I pleaded, "They were hurting him. He knows where I am and he won't say and because of that they were hurting him. Please, I have to go back."

The girl was shocked upon hearing what I said.

"Who knows?" She asked in a shocked tone.

"Edward," I said, "He knows where I am and who I am with. They are hurting him to get that information out of him."

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(Alice's POV)

"Who knows?" I asked in a shocked voice. How could anyone know what we had done? The plan had gone smoothly. No one has seen what we had done.

"Edward," Isabella answered, ""He knows where I am and who I am with. They are hurting him to get that information out of him."

I didn't have time to react because at that moment Carlisle came in, trying to calm her down.

"It's okay, Isabella. I promise we'll get him out of there," Carlisle said reassuringly, "We'll do whatever it takes to get him out." He then gives her a hug and to my surprise; she doesn't recoil or move away but just accepts it.

"I'm Dr. Carlisle Cullen by the way and welcome to my home," He said introducing himself.

I look at him in confusion over his statement. What does he mean by going back there? We nearly lost our lives getting our latest visitor yet he's still asking us to go back? Carlisle must have seen my apprehension because he gave me look after letting Isabella go that said: _We'll talk about this._

Esme then enters carrying a tray of food. She also introduces herself and to my surprise, she also introduces me; something that I had never thought of to do awhile ago. Once, Isabella's attention was on the food, I left the room and left her alone with Carlisle and Esme.

I went to the rec room where I know Emmet, Jasper and Rosalie are. Sure enough they are all there with Rosalie seated on the couch in front of the television while she watched Jasper and Emmet play Guitar Hero. I sit down next to her and watch the boys play. Soon their game is over and their attention turns to me.

"At last I win!" Emmet shouted in glee after beating Jasper and turns his attention to me, "So Alice, how is our latest guest? She seems unlike the others."

"Emmet," Rosalie replied in irritation, "Be nice but really Alice how is Isabella? I've never Carlisle so worried about a guest like that before.

"And where did the frustration coming from? You are definitely upset when you came her," Jasper said as he was packing the gadgets they used. Rosalie switched the television to DVD mode to watch a movie.

"Carlisle. He said we have to go back. He said to get Isabella's friend out of the Lab," I explained in frustration, "I mean why? We nearly lost our lives getting her out and now we have to do it again."

"That is because Isabella's gift blocked all your gifts and you haven't told them what Isabella said upon waking. It's another reason why we should go back," Carlisle said as he entered the room. He seemed aggravated about what I said.

Oh yes, Edward. Isabella's friend who was now getting hurt because of what he knows. I suddenly feel guilty about what I said before. The fact that someone was suffering because of what we did removed all the anger I have been feeling before. I started to feel pity towards him.

"Well, Alice?" Carlisle asked me in an annoyed tone. I knew what I had said had probably insulted him.

"It's Edward, Isabella's friend. He's the reason why we are going back there," I answered.

"And then Alice?" Carlisle asked me again.

"Edward is getting hurt because of what he knows. He knows who we are and where we are. He knows a lot about what we have done," I continued. I looked around and saw the shocked look on their faces. Like me I know they are also wondering on how Edward could have known what happened.

Rosalie had a more extreme form of shock. She had actually gone pale and was close to tears upon hearing that Edward was getting hurt about what he knows.

"Rose?" I asked, curious about what had caused her to react like that.

"Alice, please don't tell me that his full name is Edward Anthony Masen," Rose pleaded hopefully.

"Rose, where did you hear that? I haven't even mentioned his full name," I answered, surprised that she knew that information. What is going on? I looked around and saw that even Emmet, Carlisle and Jasper are surprised at the severity Rosalie's reaction.

Rosalie burst into tears then. "No…no…" I heard her say amidst tears. She then stood up and hurriedly left the room, leaving us to wonder about what happened.

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**Is this good enough? Please review so I can improve.**

** -Nix**


	4. The Ward and Desperate Pleas

**Really sorry for not updating. I have been having difficulty writing this story for awhile. Anyway, here is chapter 3. I hope you are not disappointed.**

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(Emmet's POV)

I have never seen my strong-willed Rose break that easily. I have never seen her cry like that.

"I better see what is wrong," I said. Everyone just nodded and I stood up to follow her. I already knew where she went. I went through the back door and went to the meadow hidden by the woods at the back of the house. I ran and even in the distance I can hear her sobs. Soon, I arrive at the meadow.

I couldn't see Rosalie much as the sun was already setting. Soon I spotted her, seated on the grass and hugging her knees. She was facing the opposite direction. I immediately ran to her and sat down beside her. She wrapped her arms around me and cried on my shoulders. I just sat there rocking us gently back. She was soon silent and she released her grip around me. We just sat on the grass in silence.

"He was the first person that I considered family after my family disappeared," She suddenly said, breaking the silence. I was surprised because she never told anyone about what happened during her past. I decided to let her continue.

"They arrived at the Ward after my mother died. They were put on the bed next to me. I was lonely there with no one to turn to. The nurses and doctors didn't care as long as they discovered you have a Gift. Some of the persons had already become insane because of the tests done to them," Rose continued. I never knew that stayed at the Ward. The Ward in question was the first step to becoming part of the Lab. Here they try to discover if you have a gift or not. If you have, you live but become part of the Lab where they try to enhance your gift. If you do not, they will kill you. The tests for discovering Gifts take time and some people have spent years in the Ward before becoming part of the Lab or being killed. The Ward, however, became obsolete after it was discovered that a simple blood test could determine if you have a Gift.

I was wondering who the 'they' that she mentioned was. I decided to ask.

"Hey, Rose. Who were 'they'" I asked her. She paused before answering.

"Elizabeth and Edward. Elizabeth was Edward's mother. She arrived at the Ward carrying Edward. He was only two when they arrived. She was very nice to me. In fact, she almost treated me like her daughter. She told me that they had captured her and her son under the suspicion that are Gifted. She told me how the operatives killed her husband for refusing to cooperate.

"Anyway, we grew closer. Even though I was five then, I made a promise to myself to protect Edward in return for Elizabeth's company and protection. She had protected me from the scientists even if she got hurt in the process. She helped me recover after the tests. In return, I took care of Edward during the times that they did tests on her. He grew up in those surroundings, never remembering the outside world. Elizabeth and I tried to fill that void by telling him what we remember," She answered. She didn't continue and I didn't ask her too. I know that she had said too much about her past when she told me about the time at the Ward.

We continued to sit in silence, watching the sky turn dark. She soon stood up.

"Let's go, it's getting late. They're probably worried where we are now," She said, taking my hand to pull me up. We both turned and went back to the house.

(Rosalie's PV)

I told Emmet part of my past. Only a part of my past. The rest knows about my time in the Lab but no one knows about my time in the Ward. There was a part of my stay that I kept trying to forget yet the fact about that Edward still exists after all what happened brought it back.

I retreated to my bedroom after the visit to the meadow. The memory of my last day at the Ward slowly came back to me. I have been trying to forget it for years but now it came back stronger than ever. I gave up trying to forget it and just cried as I remembered it.

_I am awakened by a loud painful scream. I opened my eyes and saw Edward on the bed next to me, trying to wake up Elizabeth. It had been three years after their arrival and I have never seen them like that. I immediately knew that something was wrong._

"_Mama, wake up," Edward said, loudly. He was trying to shake her but she didn't move. "Please, wake up!"_

_I went to him and tried to calm him down but he only screamed louder and just tried to wake Elizabeth up. I touched her and was right away shocked at how cold her body was. I realized then that she was already dead._

"_Edward, stop," I said, wrapping my arms around him to calm him down. He stopped and just cried into my arms. I can feel the tears from my eyes as we sat there beside Elizabeth's lifeless body._

_While we sat there crying, I noticed something weird going on. As Edward cried, I noticed that some the things around us were floating in the air. I instinctively knew that his mother's death had caused Edward to exhibit his gift. I realized that I have to stop him to avoid anybody noticing what he was doing. _

"_Edward, please stop whatever you are doing," I pleaded but he didn't stop. Soon, two nurses were coming toward us, a syringe of tranquilizer in hand._

"_Stop," I said to the nurses. They stopped and looked at me curiously. I was shocked that they stopped and I was even more shocked at the tone of my voice. There was something different about it. I decided to try again and see if it would work again._

"_Go away. You will not come near us," I said to the nurses. They turned and went away. I pulled Edward closer to me, knowing that this will be the beginning of the end. _

After that incident, Edward and I were soon separated. I don't remember how they did it but they made it. The Lab was more interested in my gift, persuasion, and was plotting ways to use it for their own interest. Edward's gift, however, was more common but a gift still the same. I never saw him again after that incident.

Carlisle's news that Edward needs our help gave me hope of fulfilling my promise to Elizabeth. I had promised to Elizabeth that I will take care of Edward in return for taking care for me in the past. The Lab will pay for hurting the person I consider my younger brother.

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(Bella's POV)

_I am in the Meadow, my and Edward's favorite place. We meet here in our minds. It was the only place of our escape .This time, despite the beauty of the place, I was hurt upon seeing Edward. He was bruised and wounded in many places. I can see how much damage Victoria and James's interrogations had done to him. He is standing in front of me. _

"_Bella," He said in pain. "Tell them to stop their plans."_

_I know who he means. Carlisle and the other who helped me escape. I can hear them planning of ways to get Edward out. _

"_I can't," I reply, hurt by his request. I wanted to get Edward out of there. I would do whatever it takes._

"_Please," He pleads. I can see the desperation in his eyes and how much it hurts him that people are sacrificing themselves for him. "Let them help others. There plenty more who deserve their help. Please, Bella."_

_Then he was gone._

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**Did you like it? or should I stop? Please review.**

**-Nix  
**


	5. Surprising Emotions and First Smiles

**I am so sorry for the lack of updates. The first half of this chapter had been sitting in my Google Account for the past three months. I couldn't finish it due to the limited time I had on the computer. Anyway, I was able to finish this on the very early morning of Thursday. **

**Without much further ado, here's chapter 4 of _Gifted._ **

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(Jasper's POV)

We were in the midst of planning when Emmet returned. He had chased Rosalie after she took off. We were all surprised about her reaction. All of us, even Emmet, were shocked that the usual indifferent Rosalie broke down. Something is unique about this latest gifted. We have rescued different gifted before from the different units of the Lab but this gifted, Edward, is not like one of those.

First, he was kept in one of the units which is unusually highly secured. This unit had been the most difficult to infiltrate and also the most risky. Second is that he was kept with another gifted, Bella. It appears that they are connected to each other by their gifts and the scientists of the Lab knew it and exploited it. This was evident in the dreams Bella has about her friend. Edward is undergoing painful interrogation and judging from her emotions, it seems like that she actually saw what was happening. I could feel the paralyzing pain she felt as she had in the dream and the fearful panic. I have never seen anything like it.

Then there are the emotions of those around me, Carlisle and Rosalie to be more specific.

Carlisle has always been determined to free the gifted. It had been his lifelong goal to do it after he realized that he was one of them. He was in training to be a scientist for the Lab when he discovered that he was no different from the kind that he experimented on. Filled with remorse, he turned his back from the Lab and focused instead on saving the gifted that he used to experiment on.

He had been doing it since that first rescue when he first saved Esme and Rosalie. Many more soon followed including me, Alice and Emmet. I know that saving people is already second nature to him but what I can feel from him as we plan Edward's escape is something that is quite different. There is the usual determination but there is also an incredible amount of desperation.

This shocked me as he is usually calm and indifferent when it comes to planning rescue attacks. He reasoned the indifference by stating that he treats every gifted equally and that they are persons who all should be rescued. It doesn't affect him much when we fail but it seems that it will greatly dispirit him if we fail saving Edward.

Apathetic Rosalie now showing concern is something that all of us didn't expect. Even Alice didn't see it coming and she is a psychic. Rose is the most mysterious of all of us. Carlisle and Esme, who had already become our parents to us and who have been with her since she escaped from the Lab, barely know her. Emmet, with whom she is closest to, admitted to us once that Rosalie may be his love but even he is puzzled by her.

Her emotions are very limited. She is so in control of her emotions that I can barely feel anything coming from her. I was astonished when I actually felt something that she was feeling. Edward's name struck a chord with Rosalie. When Carlisle confirmed what Edward's real name was, I was shocked to feel such emotions coming from her at once. It was at first relief then it quickly turned to immense sadness. I had never seen such quick change of emotions.

Now as Emmet returned, I can feel that immense sadness from him. It seems that whatever Rose told him has burdened him. I send him calming waves and that seemed to cheer him up.

"What's wrong, Emmet? Is she going to be okay?" Esme asked in a concerned tone. I can feel worry radiating from her. No, not only her but all of us. We were worried with what might her reaction mean. She doesn't sometimes approve with the rescues that we do and she is not afraid to speak her mind about it.

"She's a little shaken but then again who wouldn't be if you had to reveal something from your past," Emmet answered in a dull tone. He walked over to the cluttered dining room table where several illegally acquired blueprints of the facility where Edward was kept scattered. We were trying to find a way to entering and exiting without causing much commotion.

This took all of us by surprise. Rose? Talking about her past? It does make sense. So Edward is a part of her past. That explained the quick change of emotions. She was relieved that a friend survived the Lab's experimentation and now has a chance to escape but was sad to know the hardship that he has undergone. Talking about one's past is indeed painful to us and to find out about what happened to Edward proved too much even for Rose.

(Rose's POV)

I went to Isabella's room and watched her sleep. She looked so different when at rest. Her face is relaxed and there is no trace of the suffering she had experienced in The Lab. She appeared to be at peace.

Then she stirred and her chocolate brown eyes opened. All the peace was gone.

In its place was a look of distress and worry.

"Edward," She called out before bursting in to tears.

I quickly walked to her side to calm her down. "Shhh…It's okay. We're doing everything to help him."

"I know that," She said as she wiped her eyes. "But if you don't hurry, it will be too late. They have already stopped giving him food as a part of discovering where I am."

I felt my blood boil upon hearing what they are doing. They are doing desperate measures to know where Isabella is and they are all taking it out on Edward. I looked at Isabella and saw her inspecting my face.

"You look familiar," She mused as she looked at me. "I have seen you before but I can't remember where."

I was surprised by what she said. I haven't seen her anywhere before the rescue. "You must be mistaken." I replied to her ruminations.

"No, I have seen you before," She persisted. She was trying really hard to remember where she had seen me before. "Except you were very young."

"I really think that you have mistaken," I answered to her statement. It was starting to scare me.

She was quiet for a moment then she smiled. It was the first time I have seen her smile and it was beautiful. I can't help but wonder how many times she had done that before.

"I remember it now," Isabella exclaimed excitedly. "It was from a shared memory with Edward. He shared to me a memory about what he remembers with his mother and you were in it. He thought you were his sister but a kind scientist told him that you weren't. Edward didn't believe him though. He still thinks you're his sister."

"He remembered me?" I asked in shock. Edward remembered me? He was too young to remember that.

"Yes, he could remember everything," She gushed eagerly. She was very happy to talk to me about Edward. "He says that the most distant memory he could think of was the time he arrived in The Lab. He showed me the memories in detail."

I was in awe of what I am hearing. Edward's gift had developed far from what I had seen him do. I wondered if he ever remembered my name.

"How did you share memories?" I inquired, curious to know the nature of her gift. Her gift baffled us. All of our gifts didn't work on her. It made the rescue difficult.

"It was a curse," She answered sadly. She had returned to her heartbreaking voice. The one she used when she woke up. I can tell how explaining her gift was agonizing to her. "I can control my shield but it depends on the situation. Edward was able to overcome that. I let him into my mind and he let me into his. We could read each other's thoughts, see what each other can see and feel what we each one of us can feel. The Lab discovered this and used it against us. Whenever one of us refused to follow an order, the other gets hurt."

I never realized how deep their connections were until now. They are two separate pieces but work as a single unit. If Edward isn't rescued, who knows what will happen to Isabella?

"Hey, I remember your name," She suddenly said. She was smiling again. "It was something that I used to tease Edward about. He couldn't pronounce it right at first but as time passed, he eventually did. At first it was Rosawie and Rosarie then he said it right. It's Rosalie isn't it?"

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**So did you like it? Was I able to maintain a consistent tone throughout the chapter? I am afraid that because of the hiatus, I may have lose that tone.**

**Please review. It helps me to update faster.**


	6. Laughters and Sunshine

**I won't bore you with excuses and just head straight to the story.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**

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(Esme's POV)

We were working on plans when Jasper suddenly stopped. A curious expression crossed his face.

"Happiness? Where's that extreme happiness coming from?" He asked with disbelief in his voice. We were shocked by what we heard. We were too busy with our planning that we our emotions could only be those of worry and determination.

Then we heard laughter.

They were like bells ringing in rhythm. We were surprised to hear them in a situation like this.

"It can't be," Emmet said in incredulity. His statement reflected what we all were thinking. Could it be?

But there was no mistaking it. The laughter was coming from only one room in the house and there were only two persons who could have laughed at this situation.

Rosalie and Isabella.

Curiosity filled us as we waited for what will happen next but as quickly as it came; it was also how rapidly it disappeared. The laughter was soon gone and replaced by somber silence as it had before.

Carlisle stood up to check on Isabella but I could see that she didn't need it. She sounded fine. The laughter is the first sound that we heard from her that wasn't a cry or a scream. I wonder what Rosalie did that made her happy.

I looked around and saw that they were slowly going back to work. I followed their suit. It wasn't until Rosalie came down to help that I saw a great change in her.

There wasn't sneer or a frown that was usually across her face. In its place was a hint of a smile. Her steps weren't as heavy as they used to be. In fact, there was a slight step in it. I looked at Jasper and saw his confused expression.

"Rose," Emmet said as he watched Rosalie approach the cluttered table. The same confused expression Jasper had was on his face. We couldn't understand what was happening. What is causing the sudden shifts in moods?

"Hey Rose, anything interesting happened?" Alice asked her when Rose finally stopped.

Alice was frustrated about what was happening. She usually sees events before happening but now that Isabella is here, it seems that there is something blocking her visions.

Rosalie smiled before simply answering. "He remembers me."

"Who?" I asked interested to know what had changed her behavior.

"Edward," She said in a cheerful tone and continued no more.

Her answer left us even more puzzled. How could she be so happy because Edward remembers her? This mission is getting weirder and weirder as each day passes.

The next morning, I went to Isabella's room with her breakfast. It was the first time that she was awake in daytime. Since her rescue, she had only been awake in nighttime because her body clock had been disrupted during her stay in the Lab. As I entered the room, I saw her staring at the bright sun outside through her bedroom window.

"Isabella?" I called out when I was standing beside her bed. "Here's your breakfast."

She just nodded and still stared outside. I set down the tray in front of her and followed her gaze.

She was simply watching the sun outside. I looked at her and saw the longing in them. It was the same longing I had when I was released from the Lab. It was a longing to feel the sun on your skin and see its bright light after being trapped underground for too long. It was a longing to feel the wind on your skin and touch the grass and other plants. Simply put, it was longing to be out.

"You want to go out into the sun, don't you?" I asked as she continued her stare.

"Yes," She answered excitedly with a smile on her face. She turned to look at me. "You will let me, won't you?

I can see how much she wanted to be out but i also heard doubt in her voice. It was like it had been promised to her in the past but it didn't happen. Knowing the scientists in the Lab, that might have happened.

"I will," I promised. I will stick to my word. I had known what she had felt and I will not deprive it from her. "But I have to ask Carlisle first and after you finished breakfast," I added.

She nodded her head again and ate her breakfast. In the few days that she had stayed here, she was starting to look better. I could that she was already gaining weight and had started getting some color on her pale skin but there was still that sad look in her eyes. It was a look that can only disappear if we rescue Edward.

I left her eating to find Carlisle. He was standing outside by the door with his medical kit and had overheard our conversation.

"Of course, she can go out," He answered as soon as I came up to him. However, a look of worry was on his face. I could tell that there is a catch.

"But not totally outside. She is still too weak to that. Her heart might give up on the simple task of walking," He continued sadly. "On the other hand, she might be able to if you can make a balcony in her room which I know you'll do."

So that is the catch. Isabella can only experience sunshine from the safety of her own room. I knew what I had to do.

I walked back to the room and found Isabella eagerly waiting for me.

"So can I go?" She instantly asked the moment I entered.

"Yes but under one condition," I answered and saw how her face fell upon hearing my answer. "You must stay in your room."

"How?" She asked with curiosity in her voice.

"Stay there," I ordered then went to her window. It was large glass window that was as big as a wall. There was a ledge on the other side on which I can work on.

I opened the window and rested my hands on the ledge then I closed my eyes and concentrated on what I was going to do.

I was going to transform the ledge in to a balcony.

It was easy since I already had an idea of what I was going to do. I concentrated on expanding the ledge, making it thicker and stretching the length. I concentrated on adding a railing to protect her from falling and plants so that she can touch the leaves and flowers. I could feel the material transforming from underneath my fingertips. I could feel my gift at work. When I was done, I stepped back on observed what I had done.

It was everything I envisioned it to be.

I turned to look at Isabella who had a look of awe on her face.

"Ho-How di-" She stammered before I answered her unfinished question.

"It's my gift," I simply answered as I went to her to pick her up. She was a bit heavier than when she first came in. I lifted her and carried her to the balcony then put her down to where the sun brightly shined on.

"Wow," She breathed while she felt the warm sun on her skin. She closed her eyes, tilted her head up and just let the sun shine on her skin. "It was even better than I thought it would be."

I stayed in her room while she was reintroducing herself again to nature. I heard her breath deeply as she inhaled the cool fresh air and sighed in wonder as she touched the flowers and leaves.

When I came to take her back inside before she got sunburned, there was a look of sadness on her face which made me worry.

"What's wrong, Isabella?" I asked with worry. Maybe what we did was wrong and it had the opposite effect on her.

"It's just that while it feels great to go out again, I feel bad for Edward," She said sorrowfully.

"Why?" I inquired, wondering what Edward had to do with this.

"He has never felt sunlight before or anything like this. He's been in the Lab all of his life and have yet to feel what I felt," She answered in the same sad tone.

"You must be mistaken," I said, doubting that anyone hadn't experienced being outside all of their lives.

"No, it's true," She persisted. "He doesn't remember anything about his life outside the Lab. He's been in there since he could remember."

The way she persisted told me that what she just told is true and my conversation with Carlisle that night told me what Isabella had told me.

"I'm not surprised. From what I have read from the database, he's been in the Lab since he was two," he answered sadly.

I was in shock of what I have heard. How could the Lab be so heartless? The thought of what they had deprived Edward sickened me. How could they do such a thing?

(Edward's POV)

I lie curled up on the cold floor of my cell. I feel so hungry and weak. Less than a week has passed since Bella's escape and Victoria has already caused me to go to this weakened state. I know where Bella is and Victoria won't stop until she discovers where that place is.

Bella is in a safe place with people who are also gifted. They care for her, showing kindness that I can only dream of. I cannot connect anymore with her. The last time I did, she had already gone out into the sun. Something that I have yet to experience.

The lack of food and the injuries they have inflicted on me have caused my gift to deteriorate. I cannot even read the minds of the persons near me. I can only hope that I will die soon and save Bella from returning to this place.

(Bella's POV)

I woke up from my sleep, drenched in sweat. I didn't dream of Edward anymore which meant that I cannot connect with him. The dreams that used to be our connection when we are separated has now vanished. It means that Edward is now so weak that he cannot communicate anymore with me.

"Isabella, what's wrong?" Someone asked from beside me. I looked up and saw Esme. She sat down next to me.

"Edward," I said.

"Don't worry. We're already planning his escape."

"It's not fast enough," I screamed in frustration. I am angry at myself. Here, I am safe and sound while he is still at the Lab, slowly weakening.

"What do you mean?" She asked in surprise at my sudden outburst. I felt ashamed at what I have done. I shouldn't have done it. They had done everything to save me and were doing everything they can to save him.

"Edward's too weak," I answered then bursting into tears. I just realized the severity of the situation. "He might die soon."

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**Was it all right? I'm having a bit of difficulty describing each character's gift. I think I am going to need help in that department.**

**Anyway, please, please review. I desperately need it.**


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